Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Some of the most intricate, oddly endearing (no matter how gruff or selfish or disturbed) characters to grace movie screens in the past few years have been introduced to audiences by David O. Russell. A former mental patient and his deeply troubled girlfriend. A quartet of soldiers out to steal gold during the Persian Gulf War. Conmen, FBI agents, and well-intentioned politicians navigating the New Jersey mob. Existential detectives. The list goes on.

A new supercut by Jacob T. Swinney highlights the consistently “cool, calm, [and] neurotic” characters unique to Russell’s filmography. Swinney asserts, “Russell's characters tend to possess a variety of contradicting qualities that spin and twist throughout the duration of the film, concluding that “while these characters may seem to be unlikeable on paper, in spite of their tedious and often aggravating complexities, we cannot help but care for them.” As a testament to his claim, Swinney includes scenes from six of Russell’s films, “Flirting with Disaster,” “Three Kings,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “The Fighter,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “American Hustle.” Of the half dozen films featured, it’s worth noting that only “The Fighter” wasn’t also written by Russell.

Naturally, the same faces pop up time and again during the 4-minute supercut, and why wouldn’t they? There’s a good reason Russell reteams so frequently with a few rotating Hollywood A-listers. It takes a very talented actor to pull off the complex, dislikeable yet simultaneously endearing and engaging characters intrinsic to a David O. Russell picture. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper have routinely proven they each have what it takes to bring such robust characters to life. Their performances have garnered them Oscar nominations and wins, along with countless other accolades. Russell, too, has met with great critical success due to the complex characters he creates for the screen. The man himself has been nominated for five Academy Awards (three as director and two for screenplay). Source: blogsindiewire.com

I found some funny extracts of a comedy script (Life as Liz) written by Kip Bowman, Jr., inspired by Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper - their characters Liz and Russell seem like more exultant extensions of their psychoneurotic Silver Linings Playbook personas:

Liz stops her work, clicking back onto the dating site. Curious if there are any cute guys on there. Liz scrolls through the hundreds of profiles and pics. Until coming upon one pic that really catches her eye. Close up upon a picture - A male in his mid to late 20's. Very good looking, also has a charming persona about him. A good head of hair and facial stubble to round out his features. Underneath his profile/picture is his name, Russell Lawrence. You wonder what's he doing on a dating site like this. Also what could he be hiding that's made him still single after so many years? We freeze on that picture as we hear Liz doing other work in the background.They're in AIM mode. One small pic of Russell, and one small pic of Liz. Each has a nickname under their pics. Russell's is RustyTheRainMaker (All in one long word) while Liz's is FancyFitzy90 (Also one long word). Rusty (Russell): "I hope you're ready to meet me. Because I know these things can be kinda scary, especially meeting for the first time." Fitzy (Liz): "Yeah, I know what you mean. Cause I like you so much, I don't wanna screw this up at all." Russell: "Wow." All is silent. Liz sits trying to come back with a witty cover up. Liz: "I'm sorry. That came out wrong." Russell: "I said wow because I feel the same way, too. I'm looking forward to this more than anything. Finally getting able to see your beautiful face in person for the first time. So I don't wanna screw up." Liz talking to Russell via Skype Messenger: "Don't let those bed bugs bite you. That's my job." Russell stands in an empty work area. Dressed head to toe in a nice expensive black and blue suit. He turns his head looking around. Spotting this gorgeous woman heading towards him, Liz. He can't believe how beautiful she is. Russell: "I suppose I should call heaven because it's missing an angel." [Karaoke bar] Liz gets up from her seat to sing a karaoke song. Russell: "What are you going to sing?" Liz: "You’ll have to wait and see there, Studly Do-Right." Russell: (laughing lightly) "Me studly? Okay, well, if you say so!" Russell walks up to get on the stage to sing his song to Liz ("Waiting for a girl like you" by Foreigner). Liz: (I think I know why he's called TheRainMaker. Because my panties are soaking wet right now) "You are so lame but I love you." Russell: "And you still wanna be with me?" Liz: "Why wouldn't I?" Russell: "My explosive temper that almost killed a man." Liz: "You were protecting your sister from her loser boyfriend. It doesn't make you a monster at all." Russell: "I don't wanna hurt you, or see you resent me like my sister does." Liz: "You won't hurt me and I'll never resent you." Russell: "God, How did I end up with such a great girl like you?" Liz: "Guess you‘re just lucky, because you hit the fucking jackpot with me." They begin to kiss passionately as seen in older time films. —“LIFE AS LIZ” (2015)by Kip Bowman, Jr.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

In his latest film, Aloha, the Oscar-nominee plays a military contractor who returns to Hawaii for a big job. While trying to reconnect with an old girlfriend (Rachel McAdams), sparks start to fly between him and the watchdog (Emma Stone) who has been assigned to him. Directed by Cameron Crowe, Aloha (in theaters on May 29) also includes Bill Murray, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski and Danny McBride. E! News has the exclusive first look at Cooper and McAdams finally talking about what drove them apart. "We broke up because you didn't show up to our vacation," McAdams says. "I had three days planned in San Francisco. I had things planned for us to do and things to tell you and you stayed in Guam."

Cooper reluctantly remembers that time: "You said, 'If you don't show up on this vacation then that's it.'" "Because you're a workaholic who creates work to avoid real work," McAdams says. "Well, I'm still working on it," Cooper replies. "But to me, a vacation can't be an ultimatum. How can you relax on an ultimatum vacation? The whole concept is stressful." Source: uk.eonline.com

"I knew that we would have a great chemistry," Cooper told ET. "At least I thought we would based on Wedding Crashers, a movie I'd done with her 10 years ago. I always thought, 'Wow! It's so easy to work with her.' She's so present and it only got stronger after 10 years." "It's such a wonderful thing to come to work with Bradley every day, because he has so much passion for not just his character but the whole film -- the whole process," McAdams said. "He approaches every scene like he wants it to be the best scene filmed ever."

While McAdams sang Cooper's praises, Stone gushed over Crowe. "He is such a wordsmith," Stone said. "So many of the lines are perfectly crafted. He's a perfectionist and he will admit to that. And I have a tendency toward that too." Source: www.etonline.com

If Bradley Cooper played a very damaged and spiritually heavy military figure in “American Sniper,” his outfit is decidedly lighter in Cameron Crowe’s latest romantic dramedy, “Aloha.” In the picture, Cooper plays a defense contractor who falls for an Air Force pilot (Emma Stone) in Hawaii who is really his polar opposite. But before that romance can bloom, he has to contend with his still-conflicted feelings for his ex girlfriend, played by Rachel McAdams. Source: blogs.indiewire.com

Bradley Cooper, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, The Elephant Man: "To be a part of a community that gathers together in a 13 block radius, eight shows a week, no matter what, in the greatest city in the world – for one sole purpose, to tell stories – I can't think of a better job to have. Thank you for letting The Elephant Man be a part of this season’s story telling." Source: www.playbill.com

David O. Russell’s latest project, “Joy,” is still in production, but that didn’t stop the director from sharing a sneak peek of the drama — and speculated 2016 Oscar contender — at CinemaCon in Las Vegas Thursday. In the teaser — which failed to include any dialogue — each main member of the cast was shown for a brief moment on screen, including Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper, Édgar Ramírez and, of course, Lawrence. Quick shots, accompanied by solemn instrumental music, showed the 24-year-old actress tearfully attending a funeral, using heavy machinery, picking up a child, standing in a prison cell, shooting a gun and eventually, filming on a set.

While little is known about Cooper’s role in the film, he did appear to be working on a set in two scenes. Perhaps he will be the catalyst that helps bring Lawrence’s character to stardom? The movie marks Lawrence’s third collaboration with Russell. The pair, alongside Cooper and DeNiro, worked together on “Silver Linings Playbook” and the 2013 hit, “American Hustle.” “Joy” is scheduled to premiere in theaters Dec. 25. Source: www.ibtimes.com

The next generation of women—specifically those born between 1995 and 2002—grew up with social media, recession and global conflict. Proclaims British economist Noreena Hertz, who recently surveyed more than 1,000 teenage girls in the United States and England: “This generation is profoundly anxious.” Hertz, a professor of decision science at University College London, dubs them “Generation Katniss.” She named the group -- also known as Generation Z, ages 13 to 20 -- after the Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen, a skilled archer who fought for justice in the top-selling dystopian series that became a blockbuster franchise. There’s a silver lining amid the apocalyptic horror, said Hertz, who personally interviewed 25 girls for the research. She said the young women in the survey seem motivated to curb social and economic inequality. They value diversity. When asked how they describe themselves, Hertz said, the most common response was “unique.” Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Ladies and gentlemen, there’s a new Cameron Crowe movie coming out next month. That may sound crazy because buzz around the film has been almost non-existant, but it’s true. The director of Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire and Say Anything is about to release Aloha, a Hawaiian-set military romance starring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, John Krasinski, Bill Murray, Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin. It’s an insane cast in a film with a weird plot that involves satellites and space.

Aloha seems difficult to peg. But what better way to preview a Cameron Crowe movie than with its soundtrack? - via The Uncool:

Rachel McAdams will forever be, first and foremost, Mean Girls' Regina George, the Plastics’ queen. And you probably also know that McAdams originally wanted to play Lindsay Lohan’s character, Cady Heron, which would have been a mistake of monumental proportions. No one can be as backhandedly mean as McAdams’ Regina George, and no one can drive a convertible the way she can. We might wonder what may have been when it comes to a world where McAdams played Cady, but this isn’t the only role the actress almost took on.

McAdams took a break from acting after her major roles in The Notebook and Wedding Crashers, and told The Times that she “never really wanted to be a movie star.” This meant she turned down a lot of roles that ended up being huge ones.

The Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell revealed that Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar-winning role as Tiffany opposite Bradley Cooper in was a coveted one, and a bunch of eligible actors auditioned for it, including Rachel McAdams (believable), Zooey Deschanel (apparently the role was meant for her), Anne Hathaway, and also, Angelina Jolie. Source: www.bustle.com

Friday, April 17, 2015

Time magazine released its 100 Most Influential People in the World list for 2015, which features everyone from politicians to comedians to pop culture icons. Among this year's influencers are Kanye West, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift, Laverne Cox, Reese Witherspoon, Kevin Hart, and Kim Kardashian. The five Time covers have gone to Kanye and Bradley, as well as ballet dancer Misty Copeland, Mexican-American journalist Jorge Ramos, and US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The list, which is in its 12th year, requires a prominent public figure to write an essay for each honoree, and this year's pairings include Kim Kardashian by Martha Stewart, Reese Witherspoon by Mindy Kaling, and Chris Pratt by Amy Poehler. Keep reading to check out this year's cover stars. Source: www.popsugar.com

"It’s hard to make people, especially your friends, forget who you are onscreen. But Bradley’s that good. And I think we’ve seen only a hint of what’s to come." -Oliver Platt calls Bradley Cooper 'The cinematic chameleon' in Time magazine.

Bradley expressed his honour at being included on the list, saying in a statement: 'It's a real big thing to be included in anything that has to do with TIME magazine let alone the 100 list!' The American Sniper star added: "It's a huge privilege for me and if it does anything at all it helps spread awareness for veterans' issues." Actress and author Julianne Moore, meanwhile, has been fronting campaigns for Women Of Worth, which aids domestic violence victims in their quest for independence. Among the other names leaked early are Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt and film-maker Lee Daniels. Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Amy Pascal wrote: Bradley is genius... Exactly the movie belongs to Bradley more than I realized in the process. Cameron Crowe wrote: Smart. Feel a little bit like we did on “Say Anything” — the movie tilted toward Cusack, the script tilted toward Ione Skye. But our acting is better here all around, so we can hopefully get everything. Frankly Bradley is such an odd bird getting him right is tricky but he's fine now so lets just let him cook where he is and take care of our girl... Frankly, we have great options on all the performances except Bill Murray… who pretty much is what you saw.

Cameron wrote regarding Emma Stone: "I have the shot on Emma... It's a movie star intro shot... Maybe time to put it back in... It is very powerful and overshadowed everything around it... But might feel different now... Big lesson from today... You don't slip Emma in... Let's give her fanfare again... Movie has now earned it." Amy replied, "She isn't bigger than the movie. Trust that. Now she needs to ignite it to get it to the next level and it's gonna be a cross between an idea she has about herself and an actual self that he makes her pay attention to (much to her shock)." Source: wikileaks.org

Bradley Cooper has had quite an interesting career, but had to pay his dues for many years to lead up to the critical acclaim he has earned today. With roles such as the distant war hero Chris Kyle in the controversial American Sniper to a struggling bipolar man just released from a psychiatric hospital in Silver Linings Playbook, Cooper has shown a range of acting skills in the last few years that arguably had not been expected in the past. His days of being the beau to some famous actress are over, and now he is front and center.

Bradley Cooper told The Guardian that his role in the box office hit The Hangover had been actually his most difficult yet. He said: "That guy is so different from me. I'm always amazed by it, actually. When I look at that character on screen, I don't see me at all." Bradley Cooper graduated with honors from Georgetown with an English degree. He told GQ he wrote his thesis on Nabokov's Lolita and he didn’t participate in much drama in high school or at Georgetown, but was more of an athlete up until he went for his MFA. Cooper somewhat randomly applied for his master’s at the Actors Studio Drama School in New York almost as a joke. Even during his acting career he has contemplated going back to school to get his Ph.D. in English and teaching literature. When he moved New York to study acting at the New School, Bradley Cooper worked nights at the Morgans Hotel in Manhattan. Source: www.cinemablend.com

In 2013, the Associated Press added an entry on mental illness to its Style Book to help journalists write about mental illness fairly and accurately. And in recent years, Hinshaw notes, screenwriters have made an effort to portray more humanized characterizations of individuals with mental illness -- for example, Carrie Mathison on Showtime's "Homeland," who has bipolar disorder; Bradley Cooper's character in "Silver Linings Playbook;" and John Nash, the Nobel Prize-winning economist with schizophrenia in "A Beautiful Mind." Still needed, Hinshaw says, are more realistic portrayals of the everyday struggles associated with mental illness. Source: news.yahoo.com

-Parade magazine: As Mad Men evolved, what surprised you most?

-Stephanie Newman, Ph.D. clinical psychoanalyst, (author of Mad Men on the Couch: Analyzing the Minds of the Men and Women of the Hit TV Show): "I became more and more fascinated by how [show runner] Matthew Weiner did not sugar coat anything. Infidelity, addiction, divorce, mental illness; he put it all out there and it was not pretty–just like in real life." Source: parade.com

Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Reaser also reveals that she viewed Diana as the female counterpoint Don Draper had been subconsciously searching for over the course of seven seasons and countless shags. “I just felt like they were very similar in the way that they communicate, and people say, you know, ‘Diana is mysterious,’ and I think she’s very direct. . . . And she’s been through so much that she has nothing left to lose. . . She basically doesn’t give a fuck.”

In fact, it is this tragedy-incited disconnect with the world that might make the pair’s communications seem dream-like. “So that sort of takes her outside of time and space, and it just means she’s almost, like, untouchable, when you’re that hurt, when you’re that broken by the world,” Reaser theorizes. Source: www.vanityfair.com

Friday, April 10, 2015

Jon Hamm attends a ceremony where objects from the iconic TV series 'Mad Men' are presented to the National Museum of American History on March 27, 2015 in Washington DC.

"Mad Men" star Jon Hamm took part in a violent college hazing in 1990 at the University of Texas that led to criminal charges and to the fraternity chapter permanently disbanding, according to court and school records obtained Thursday. The Emmy-nominated actor had not previously been publicly linked to a lawsuit filed by a Sigma Nu pledge who said he was severely beaten, dragged by a hammer and had his pants lit on fire. In the 1991 lawsuit, the pledge said Hamm participated "till the very end." In March, Hamm completed a stint in rehab for what his representatives said was treatment for alcohol addiction. Source: www.nytimes.com

The combination of pleasure and pain is only appropriate where Mad Men is concerned. Don Draper’s relentless hedonism, drinking and womanising his way through the 60s, making it to the top of Madison Avenue’s advertising industry from nowhere, as literally no one, has always come with a heavy price – not just for those around him but Don himself. After ten years of debauched adventures in New York and Los Angeles, Don may have ‘found himself’ but ‘Severance’ offers little evidence that he likes himself any more than he did when Mad Men began, when we discovered his entire identity was a sham predicated on self-loathing and shame. Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

“When you think about a mechanism like supportive social networks, or the psychological benefit of helping others, well, they have nothing to do with faith, or God — they have to do with the reality of what goes on in AA, with people meeting others in the same boat as they are in, and with helping other people.” So it can be the case both that AA rests on overly judgmental moral language, takes the unlikely view that God himself (or “a higher power”) is what cures people’s alcoholism, and has various other flaws — and that it still works for a lot of people, simply by connecting them to others going through the same struggles." Source: nymag.com

Jon Hamm was chosen Sexiest Man Alive in 2007 by Salon Magazine - "I try to be a good person. I'm loyal and I'm trustworthy. I'm kind," says the Mad Men star, "and I'm a really good driver." Watching AMC’s “Mad Men” is a sensual feast. Matthew Weiner’s devotion to getting 1960 right means we feel Joan’s girdle and Peggy’s scratchy dresses, taste the rye and the steak and the oysters, glory in the pastels of Betty’s peignoirs; our eyes water at the end of every episode from all that cigarette smoke. The sexual politics are remarkable; the sex is even more interesting, and the hot center of it all is Jon Hamm, who plays Sterling Cooper creative director Don Draper, haunted, predatory, at the top of his game, miserable. I think it’s possible that some of Hamm/Draper’s hotness is how little we know about both the actor and the character. Source: www.salon.com

Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock at the premiere of "All About Steve" (2009) in Los Angeles

Bradley Cooper was declared "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine in 2011. What earned him that honor? - A combination of box office appeal (who hasn't seen The Hangover?), undeniable good looks and the lengths he'll go to for romance. Asked the sexiest thing he's done to woo a woman, Cooper tells PEOPLE, "Getting on a plane to go get them." Source: www.people.com

“I think it’s really cool that a guy who doesn’t look like a model can have this,” the “Hangover” star told People. “I think I’m a decent-looking guy. Sometimes I can look great, and other times I look horrifying.” “If you’re a single man and you happen to be in this business… you’re deemed a player. But I don’t see myself as a ladies’ man,” he said. And Cooper said his first thought at being crowned top hunk was “my mother is going to be so happy.” Source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Howard Stern asked Bradley Cooper about kicking drinking. Bradley said that he doesn't drink and he won't even try it. Howard asked what his Epiphany was that got him to stop. Bradley said that he realized he only has one life and he had to make the most of it or he'd never reach his potential. Howard asked if Bradley would do a TV show. Bradley said he would. He said it's all about the content. He said that it depends on what it is. Source: www.marksfriggin.com

Howard Stern said they were talking about Bradley and how he was named the sexiest man in the world. Howard said he was in a furniture store trying to buy a chair and this gorgeous girl was in the store. Howard said she came running up to him and said she would give him her number. Howard said it felt so powerful. He said Bradley must feel that all the time. Bradley said it doesn't happen. He said he swears to god it does not happen. Howard said he's shocked. Bradley said he had a glass lamp fall on his face when he was 15. He said he had blood all over and it could have made a mess. Bradley said he was very lucky and the lamp smashed his face to the left. He said that he grew up in Philly and the house was over 100 years old.

Howard asked Bradley about working with Jennifer Lawrence and the chemistry they had in SLP. Bradley said that she puts you at ease. Howard said he must have thought about her. Bradley said that he's not Jimmy Carter. Howard said if he worked with Jennifer Lawrence and he wasn't with Beth he would fuck her. Howard said he would never screw things up with Beth though. Howard said he feels like such a man around her. Bradley said that he doesn't have a problem with his girl when it comes to working with someone like Jennifer. Howard asked if he dated in high school. Bradley said he had a cool girlfriend and wasn't into sports back then. He said the girl is still a great friend of his. He said that they're still in touch and she's married to a great guy. He said she's still beautiful too. Source: www.marksfriggin.com

Jon Hamm, Jennifer Westfeldt and Bradley Cooper attending the opening night of "The Elephant Man" on Broadway, on 12/7/2014

Thursday, April 02, 2015

"Serena" would barely be worth an obit except for its leading actors, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. They made ideal wounded sparring partners (and ballroom dancers) in Silver Linings Playbook. They flirted with malicious intent in American Hustle. They’re big stars, frequent Oscar nominees and, from available evidence, decent people for whom one wishes the best.

Serena (Lawrence) says that nothing in the past matters; but that’s just the cooing lie of a femme fatale — the type that Barbara Stanwyck brought to seductive life and death in Hollywood’s Golden and Noir ages.

Iconographically, Lawrence looks just right for the period. Platinum blonde, she instantly evokes such early-talkies actresses as Mae West. Toby Wing and Jean Harlow. Too bad she gets no help from Bier, who won a Foreign Film Oscar in 2011 for the Danish In a Better World after a calamitous foray into Hollywood drama with the 2006 Things We Lost in the Fire. It’s like some fateful old Broadway tryout that should have closed in New Haven. In fact, Serena opened last October at the London Film Festival. Lawrence graciously showed up, beckoning the audience to embrace the movie. “And if you don’t,” she added, “just don’t tweet about it.” Source: time.com

Cooper plays George Pemberton, a logging tycoon who quickly falls for Lawrence’s titular character while away on business. Serena is tenacious and sexy, but troubled. Very troubled. Town rumor says that a 12-year-old Serena abandoned her family in a blazing house fire, leaving them all to perish. The audience knows she’s batshit before we’re given this titillating backstory (she’s got some weird obsession with taming eagles and could give “Orange is the New Black”’s Crazy Eyes a run for her money), and Pemberton’s friends aren’t exactly supportive of their union. But alas, the two stunners marry and head back to the small town that Pemberton calls home. Wedded bliss doesn’t last for long, as Pemberton is expecting a child with a woman he met pre-Serena. Source: www.dailycal.org

Reasons Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper Should Just Get Married - Dear Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper: The universe is trying to tell you something, and with all due respect, we think you've got some earplugs in. You have made three movies together (with a fourth on the way); you've played a couple twice now; and oh yeah, something magical happens when you get together. Case in point: your cute moments at the Serena screening and afterparty. Jen, would you just look at the way you smiled at Bradley over the weekend? Bradley, would you just recognize that Jen made you laugh harder than we've ever seen? That's really just the beginning of the reasons you need to give this a shot. Jen, we haven't seen you with Chris Martin lately, and Bradley, well, we heard things didn't work out with Suki Waterhouse. If you're not convinced yet, keep reading for all the reasons it's time to make this union happen. Love, The World Source: www.popsugar.com

Bradley Cooper was already married, if briefly, to Italian-American actress Jennifer Esposito (21 December 2006 - 10 November 2007). Although he's Jennifer Lawrence's "work-husband", Bradley has had other screen wives. We suspect some of the best marriages are film marriages, because they often save us from enduring the most fatiguing aspects a settled relationship may entail. Let's take a look at Bradley Cooper and his film wives & fiancées: